In 1979, Tseng Kwong Chi (1950 - 1990) began creating his iconic photographic series, “East Meets West” and its follow-up, “Expeditionary Series,” in which he appeared in dark glasses and a Zhongshan suit, the uniform favored by Mao Zedong. Thus outfitted, he posed in front of famous monuments like Mount Rushmore and the Eiffel Tower and natural wonders like Niagara Falls and the Canadian Rockies. In these darkly comical images, rendered as square, black and white prints, Tseng's persona has an enigmatic, vaguely disquieting presence. He might be an austere, visiting dignitary or an anonymous citizen of the world. Combining performance and photography, political satire and cultural identity, Tseng’s pioneering series exemplifies the art of the eighties while anticipating the social, political and philosophical themes of the present day.